As a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the Sun hits Earth on Friday night, it will likely cause the northern lights to shine in several U.S. states, all the way down to New York and Idaho in the south.
During this event, many people will have a rare chance to see the aurora borealis far from the poles, which makes it an interesting one for skywatchers.
Understanding the Upcoming Solar Storm
The CME comes from the sunspot AR3697, which has already caused a lot of activity on the Sun, such as the "extreme" G5 geomagnetic storm on May 10 that made auroras visible in all 50 U.S. states. Although the next solar storm is expected to be weaker, reaching a peak strength of G1 or G2, it will still likely push the northern lights farther south than usual, giving people in the north of the United States a spectacular show.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center says that from late May 31 to early June 1 (UTC), the Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) linked to the X1.4 flare from Region 3697 is likely to strengthen the Earth's magnetic field. They also said that people in some northern and upper Midwest states, from New York to Idaho, might be able to see the aurora.
G2 MODERATE STORM LEVELS POSSIBLE ON 31 MAY - 01 JUN
— NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (@NWSSWPC) May 29, 2024
A CME associated with the X1.4 flare, produced by Region 3697 earlier in the period, is likely to enhance the Earth's magnetic field late on 31 May into early on 01 Jun (UTC). Continue to monitor our web page for updates. pic.twitter.com/XGc6st0N9i
The sunspot AR3697, called AR3664 during the May 10 storm, has gone around the Sun and shrunk from its massive size of 15 Earths across. Recently, this sunspot sent out an X-class solar flare that shut down radio stations across the U.S. on Wednesday.
Solar flares send out short bursts of X-rays and infrared light, but CMEs send out clouds of solar plasma that take longer to reach Earth. When these CMEs hit the Earth's magnetic field, they cause geomagnetic storms rated from G1 (not very strong) to G5 (powerful).
Even though this storm isn't as strong as the one on May 10, it will still be strong enough to make auroras visible in New York, Michigan, and Maine. These geomagnetic storms send sun particles into our atmosphere, usually near the poles, where they hit oxygen and nitrogen atoms.
This clash causes the glowing colors in the aurora. Oxygen gives off red and green lights, while nitrogen gives off blue and purple ones.
Where and How to Watch the Northern Lights
Along the border between the U.S. and Canada, you will have the best chances to see the northern lights in states like Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
People who want to see the most stars should look at the northern sky. If you can't see the auroras with your eyes, you can improve the experience by taking pictures with your phone.
The cameras on new smartphones are better at picking up light, so they can take pictures of the aurora even when it's not very bright. The aurora has become more robust as the Sun gets closer to its solar maximum, the highest point in its 11-year cycle.
The head of NASA's heliophysics section, Nicola Fox, said that the Sun goes through a natural 11-year cycle from being mostly calm to stormy and then back to calm. She said that the Sun has sunspots, and its magnetic poles flip over when it is at its busiest, called the solar maximum.
CMEs that form near these sunspots are plasma blasts moving toward Earth. When they hit our magnetic field, they push solar particles toward the poles, making the crashes in the atmosphere that make the northern lights.
The aurora's red, green, blue, and purple colors are caused by excited atoms of oxygen and nitrogen that make these lights glow in different colors.
As we look forward to this natural light show, it reminds us how our world and the Sun are constantly changing and vital. Even though this geomagnetic storm won't be as strong as others, it will still give many people in the northern U.S. states a beautiful and awe-inspiring view of the universe.
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